Metallic fence-post



H. FISCHER.

METALLIC FENCE PosT.

Patented Mar. 31,1891.

wuawkva NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METALLIC FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,317, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed August 21, 1890. Serial No. 362,575. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN FISCHER, a citizen of Germany, residing at Prairieville, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Fence-Posts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in iron posts, and is more particularly applicable to posts used in barb-wire fences and the modern web-wire fencing; but it is also susceptible of use in any situation where a simple strong post can be utilized.

The object of the invention is to provide one or more external tubes which can be driven into the earth around the post for the purpose of tightening the latter in the ground, as will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved post, showing the solid tapering plug referred to and one of the aforesaid sleeves. Fig. 2 is a detail of the solid pointed plug referred to.

vFig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

A is a hollow tube of any desired diameter, and for the purpose intended ordinary gastubing can be used.

13 is a solid metallic-pointed plug adapted for insertion in the lower end of the tube A to render it practicable to drive the latter into the earth. The plugs B may be cast of the ordinary gray iron and inserted in the tubes A, respectively, at any time before the latter are driven into the earth. The plug B is provided at its upper end with a reduced diameter 0, adapted to pass tightly within the contiguous end of the tube A. Contiguous to the adjacent end of the tube A there is formed an annular external recess D in and around the periphery of said plug, so that when the latter has its upper end driven into the tube A the back wall of said recess or flange D shall abut against the lower end of the tube A on the same plane with the periphery of said tube; or, in other words, the periphery of the plug B at the point of contact of the recess D with the end of tube Ais coterminous with and of the same diameter as the contiguous end of said tube. The flange D serves the double function of preventing the plug B from. passing too far within the tube A in the process of driving the latter and also renders the exterior surface of the two parts A and B uniform and unbroken throughout. The forcing of the tube A into hard or stony ground divested of the plug B would often result in bruising, breaking, or deflecting the lower end of said tube, while with the use of said plug B there is afforded to the lower end of the tube A a solid strong tapering point adapted to forceits way through small stone, gravel, or hard earth and prepare an opening sufficient for the passage of the superposed tube A.

In driving posts of such small diameter as those in question a slight lateral movement results in giving the post a loose seat in the earth. short additional tubes or sleeves E of such internal diameter as to pass over part A from the top thereof after the post is seated. The first sleeve E is passed down over the post and driven in any suitable manner down into the ground around the latter. This sleeve E being forced around thetube A between the latter and the encircling earth has the effect of filling in intervals that may have been made by the vibration of the lateral movements of the post in the process of driving, and where the earth is in contact with the exterior of the post A said sleeve forces the earth farther outwardly and increases the tightness of said post.

In fastening a post by driving a sleeve around it, if the sleeve only embrace the post at the surface of the ground the post becomes a lever, with the sleeve as a fulcrum, and consequently the bottom of the post will be moved in the opposite direction from which the top is moved and the very object of the sleeve be defeated unless means be adopted to prevent it. This can be done by making the lower end of the post larger than the main portion; but this is objectionable, as it makes the hole larger than the post, which in turn requires that the sleeve be correspondingly larger to To obviate this I provide a series of.

to two to secure the same result.

5 of the ground to the bottom of the post. This will compress the earth equally at the top and bottom and avoid the leverage resulting from a short sleeve, and consequently accomplishes with one piece what has heretofore required Besides thisa continuous surface is secured for the succeedin g sleeves when they are driven down, which would not be the case if there were two separate pieces, one at the surface of the ground and the other one at the bottom of the post.

If desired, additional sleeves E of sulficient diameter may be passed down over the posts A and the sleeve or sleeves E previously driven and be forced into the earth as a means of still further tightening the posts A and increasing the diameter and area of its resisting surface within the ground.

In the construction of barb-wire fences, and particularly the late types of woven-wire fencing, there is an intense strain upon the corner-post, and if said post yields in any degree under said strain the effect is to throw the fence out of proper shape. The increase of the size of the posts within the earth and 0 tightening of said posts by means oft-he use of the sleeve or sleeves E is especially applicable to said corner-posts, and a sufficient number of such sleeves increasing in diameter successively can be used to render said corner 3 5 posts absolutely immovable, and it is on said 4o earth.

F F are a series of holes formed in the walls of the tube A above the surface of the earth toafford means of attaching the wire fencing referred to, which attachment can be effected by short pieces of wire passed through the openings F and around one or more of the strands of wire constituting the fencing material.

G is a small opening through the wall of the tube A, directly above the plug B, to permit the escape of any water which may collect in the interior of the tube A.

That I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination of the tube A and the tapered plug B, provided with the reduced end 0 and external annular recess D, and a series of short additional tubes or sleeves E around the lower end of the post, the interior diameter of the inner sleeve being such as to pass over the part A from the top, and the diameter of each succeeding sleeve being such as to pass over the preceding one, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, in a fence-post, of a tube A, a pointed plug B, secured in its lower end, of the same diameter as the post, and a sleeve surrounding the post of such a length as to extend from the surface of the ground to the lower end of the post, said sleeve being adapted to be driven down over the post and force the earth outwardly therefrom and increase the area of the resisting-surface of the post from the surface of the ground to the bottom of the post, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERMANN FISCHER. Witnesses:

JOHN G. IVIANAHAN, ADDA E. WARD. 

